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A Vibrant Platform At The Service Of Cluster Organisations

The European Cluster Collaboration Platform (ECCP) is an action of the Cluster Internationalisation Programme for SMEs funded under COSME launched by DG GROW of the European Commission in 2016.
The ECCP provides networking and information support for clusters and their members aiming to improve their performance and increase their competitiveness through trans-national and international cooperation.

About Cluster Organisations

This is the stage on which cluster organisations present themselves - their structures, services, experiences and above all, their interest in cooperation with peers. We invite you to explore this diverse cluster community, identify your potential cooperation partner and show the world what you are good at - by profiling your organisation !

What is ESCP-S3 ?

The European Strategic Cluster Partnerships for smart specialisation investments (ESCP-S3) are transnational cluster partnerships that support cluster cooperation in thematic areas related to regional smart specialisation strategies and to increase the involvement of the industry in the context of the Smart Specialisation Platform for Industrial Modernisation.

What is ESCP-4i?

The European Strategic Cluster Partnerships – Going International (ESCPs-4i) are transnational cluster partnerships that develop and implement a joint internationalination strategy and support SME internationalisation towards third countries beyond Europe.

What are ESCPs ?

The European Strategic Cluster Partnerships have been launched by the European Commission as effective means of supporting cross-border collaboration for the benefit of SMEs with the ultimate goal of boosting economic growth and competitiveness in Europe.

About matchmaking events

ECCP organises inter-European matchmaking events, as well as opportunities for you to meet your peers from other countries – either in EU or abroad. Find also additional international matchmaking opportunities promoted here.

About European Cluster Initiatives

As an information hub, ECCP collects and structures a wide variety of information relevant for cluster organisations from various European programmes and initiatives like the ones below.
These are supporting in different ways the interaction between clusters and for driving the competitiveness of European businesses. We offer you here the unique opportunity to find out more about the most relevant cluster-related projects and what you can learn from them. Or, why not, cooperate with them!

ESCP-4i: Second Generation (2018-2019)

The 'Clusters Go International' action of the COSME Framework Programme of the European Commission contributed to establish European Strategic Cluster Partnerships for Going International (ESCP-4i) to reinforce cross-border collaboration between European clusters with the ultimate goal of going international jointly and better helping SMEs' access to third markets.

After the successful activity of a first generation of European Strategic Cluster Partnerships for Going International (ESCP-4i), the European Commission launched on 21 February 2018 in the context of the EU Industry Day a second generation of23 co-funded EU Cluster Partnerships (ESCP-4i) including 2 partnerships on Earth observation applications for the period 2018-2019.

These EU Cluster Partnerships (ESCP-4i), active since the beginning of 2018, involve 123 cluster organisations across 25 European countries (see below) active in various industrial sectors (see graph below). The primary target markets (see below) of these partnerships include the USA, Canada, Japan, China and Singapore. Together, they represent a potential to support more than 17,000 European SMEs in accessing global value chains and taking a leading position globally.

At the launch event, all these partnerships have been awarded the label of "European Strategic Cluster Partnership for Going International" by the DG GROWTH Deputy Director-General Antti Peltomäki of the European Commission which commits the partners of each EU Cluster partnership to work on a joint cooperation agenda with the aim to support the internationalisation of their SME members towards third countries beyond Europe and thereby, to contribute to the European Commission's objectives to boost growth, jobs and investment in Europe.

The full list of these 25 new EU Cluster Partnerships, including the cluster organisation members, number of SMEs involved and target countries can be found on the ECCP here.

Among the 25 parnterships, 2 are focused on earth observation data application and 2 are operating in the defence and security sector.